Swiss Post has deployed 110 gas gas-powered vehicles for environmentally friendly parcel deliveryaiming to reduce its CO2 emissions by 10% by 2012.
Together with the 30 vehicles already in use, Swiss Post now has the largest gas-poweredfleet in the country with 140 delivery vehicles thus raising the proportion of alternative drivesystems for parcel delivery to 10%.
Operated with the support of Gasmobil Switzerland, the gas-powered Fiat Ducato vehiclesproduce 10% fewer harmful greenhouse gases compared to conventional diesel engines. In terms of CO2equivalents, this corresponds to 59 tonnes of CO2 per year for all 140 vehicles. Anothersignificant advantage of gas-powered engines is the lower output of ozone which generates airpollutants that are harmful to people’s health.
40 of the new Fiat Ducatos will be used at the Mägenwil distribution base close to Zurich.The new base, which delivers parcels in the Aarau region in the north of the country, is the firstdistribution base that relies entirely on gas-powered vehicles.
For letter delivery, Swiss Post already deploys 250 low-emission electric vehicles whilePostBus Switzerland is currently testing and evaluating the use of hybrid buses.
Swiss Post intends to increase the use of more environmentally friendly engines for itsdelivery vehicles. These will be introduced gradually at the various delivery regions inSwitzerland as part of fleet renewals, the company said in a statement.
The postal operator has been able to reduce its carbon footprint by 8.5% since 2000 and aimsa further reduction of 10% by 2012, compared to 2007.
